Update on the "809 Area Code Scam" and What to Do if Your
e-Zine Gets Changed and Then Spammed

Wayne

Rick Becker wrote:

>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bernie Lebenbaum
> [mailto:bernie.lebenbaum@macservice.com.au]
> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2001 7:55 PM
> To: Michael Caplan
> Subject: MAJOR SCAM ALERT-PLEASE READ]
>
> From: Christine Rickard
> Sent: Monday, 26 March 2001 9:29 AM
> To: Bernie Lebenbaum
> Subject: FW: Fw: MAJOR SCAM ALERT-PLEASE READ]
> Kind Regards,
> Christine L. Rickard.
> Sales Administrator.
> Macservice Pty. Ltd.
> Email: christine.rickard@macservice.com.au> Telephone: +61 3 9558-0004
> Facsimile: +61 3 9558-0875
>
>> PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE YOU HAVE AN E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR.
>> If you receive an email or a phone call titled:
>> DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809
>> This one is being distributed all over the US. This is
>> pretty scary
>> --especially given the way they try to get you to call.
>> Be sure you read
>> this & pass it on to all your friends and family so they
>> don't get
>> scammed!
>>
>> MAJOR SCAM:
>> Don't respond to Emails, phone calls, or web pages which
>> tell you to call
>> an "809" Phone Number.
>> This is a very important issue of Scam Busters because
>> it alerts you to a
>> scam that is spreading *extremely* quickly - can easily
>> cost you $24,100
>> or
>> more, and is difficult to avoid unless you are aware of
>> it. We'd like to
>> thank Verizon for bringing this scam to our attention.
>> This scam has also
>> been identified by the National Fraud Information Center
>> and is costing
>> victims a lot of money. There are lots of different
>> mutations of this
>> scam.
>> HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
>> You will receive a message on your answering machine or
>> your pager, which
>> asks you to call a number beginning with area code
>> 809.The reason you're
>> asked to call varies. It can be to receive information
>> about a family
>> member who has been ill, to tell you someone has been
>> arrested, died, to
>> let you know you have won a wonderful prize,etc. In
>> each case, you are
>> told to call the 809 number right away. Since there are
>> so many new area
>> codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls.
>> If you call from
>> the US, you will apparently be charged $2,425
>> per-minute. Or, you'll get a
>> long recorded message. The point is, they will try to
>> keep you on the phone
>> as long as possible to increase the charges.
>> Unfortunately, when you get
>> your phone bill, you'll often be charged more than
>> $24,100.00.
>>
>> WHY IT WORKS:
>> The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin
>> Islands (The Bahamas).
>> The 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call"
>> number, similar to 900
>> numbers in the US. Since 809 is not in the US, it is not
>> covered by U.S.
>> regulations of 900 numbers, which require that you be
>> notified and warned
>> of charges and rates involved when you call a
>> "pay-per-call" number. There
>> is also no requirement that the company provide a time
>> period during which
>> you may terminate the call without being charged.
>> Further, whereas many
>> U.S. phones have 900 number blocking to avoid these
>> kinds of charges, 900
>> number blocking will not prevent calls to the 809 area
>> code. We recommend
>> that no matter how you get the message, if you are asked
>> to call a number
>> with an 809 area code that you don't recognize and/or
>> investigate further
>> and just disregard the message. Be wary of email or
>> calls asking you to
>> call an 809 area code number. It's important to prevent
>> becoming a victim
>> of this scam, since trying to fight the charges
>> afterwards can become A
>> real nightmare. That's because you did actually make the
>> call. If you
>> complain, both your local phone company and your long
>> distance carrier will
>> not want to get involved and will most likely tell you
>> that they are simply
>> providing the billing for the foreign company. You'll
>> end up dealing with a
>> foreign company that argues they have done nothing
>> wrong. Please forward
>> this entire message to your friends, family and
>> colleagues to help them
>> become aware of this scam.
>> Sandi Van Handel
>> AT&T Field Service Manager
>> (920)687-9045
>